Top Chef buff here, first time in Chicago and wanted to dine at Stephanie Izard’s restaurant. Made a reservation for 1 on a Sunday afternoon, right at open, not super busy right out of the gate. Was seated near the kitchen, with an open view of it, which was nice. Paulo was my server, and made me aware that dishes are typically intended to be shared, which I wasn’t aware of.
Ordered the oysters, which were roasted and came with crackers. Well made, flavor was nice. Not much to say about them otherwise.
The curried pork belly was also good, little hit of spice was welcome. It was enough for one person. I think the only reason they say their dishes are for sharing is to get you to order more plates, but that’s just my two cents.
Paulo was attentive, but would sometimes linger near a table before actually approaching. Idk, maybe it’s just me, but not a huge fan of that.
It’s worth going here if you want a good, fine meal. Nothing blew me away, but it was an experience worth having.
Calvin Law
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January 13, 2025
I am a little, disappointed? Maybe my expectations were too high.
To start, the menu is not big. That in itself is not a big problem, but nothing was really categorized except by protein. So it was confusing trying to distinguish appetizers from entrees.
The food was average. I didn't find it particular amazing or unique. It wasn't really lacking but it was just fine. We had 5 people so we ordered 5 things to try and share. Nothing really stood out to me.
From an establishment like this, the price per portion ratio is as you would expect. Small and pricey. Staff was nice and the atmosphere was fitting. Just overall wished it was a little better.
Michael Erin Strong
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February 02, 2025
It was fine. We were really disappointed that we weren’t allowed to order separately (he wanted the restaurant week menu and I just wanted an entree that was less experimental): the server wasn’t a great communicator, and it left a bad experience the rest of the night. The food was interesting. My husband’s pork shank was huge and had impressive sides. My sea bass was lost in all the competing flavors in its dog-dish heap. The tables were very snug, which made the din of customers a bit overwhelming.
Amy T.
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December 31, 2024
Girl & the Goat has one of the biggest reputations among Chicago restaurants, but the real highlight of this place is its impeccable pacing and service. The courses are timed extremely well, though the specific dish sequence within a group might be a little bit askew, and that level of synchronization in a perpetually busy kitchen is really commendable. In a world of increasingly frequent auto-gratuities and service fees, Girl & the Goat rly deserves theirs
The food is inconsistent - sometimes it’s great, and sometimes it’s underwhelming. Bold flavors seems to be the ethos of the menu, but often the seasoning is too heavyhanded and dishes come out clumsy and aggressive. The sticky pork shank is above reproach and the pig face is good, if slightly more one note. The green beans are a perennial favorite, with an ingenious use of fish sauce, but often oversalted.
Breads and related goods tend to be a miss here, as the naan didn’t deliver the textural expectation (and was paired with meh dips) and the pastry of the goat empanadas was underwhelming, almost reminiscent of a frozen good. Skip dessert, as I’ve always been disappointed
Hadleigh Pletz
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March 09, 2025
Food is a delicious fusion style menu. The service was unbelievable. As a server myself I definitely should up my standards!! Never had to pour my own water. Food was delicious I recommend the mussels 10/10 (oysters are shown in the photo)
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Top Chef buff here, first time in Chicago and wanted to dine at Stephanie Izard’s restaurant. Made a reservation for 1 on a Sunday afternoon, right at open, not super busy right out of the gate. Was seated near the kitchen, with an open view of it, which was nice. Paulo was my server, and made me aware that dishes are typically intended to be shared, which I wasn’t aware of. Ordered the oysters, which were roasted and came with crackers. Well made, flavor was nice. Not much to say about them otherwise. The curried pork belly was also good, little hit of spice was welcome. It was enough for one person. I think the only reason they say their dishes are for sharing is to get you to order more plates, but that’s just my two cents. Paulo was attentive, but would sometimes linger near a table before actually approaching. Idk, maybe it’s just me, but not a huge fan of that. It’s worth going here if you want a good, fine meal. Nothing blew me away, but it was an experience worth having.
I am a little, disappointed? Maybe my expectations were too high. To start, the menu is not big. That in itself is not a big problem, but nothing was really categorized except by protein. So it was confusing trying to distinguish appetizers from entrees. The food was average. I didn't find it particular amazing or unique. It wasn't really lacking but it was just fine. We had 5 people so we ordered 5 things to try and share. Nothing really stood out to me. From an establishment like this, the price per portion ratio is as you would expect. Small and pricey. Staff was nice and the atmosphere was fitting. Just overall wished it was a little better.
It was fine. We were really disappointed that we weren’t allowed to order separately (he wanted the restaurant week menu and I just wanted an entree that was less experimental): the server wasn’t a great communicator, and it left a bad experience the rest of the night. The food was interesting. My husband’s pork shank was huge and had impressive sides. My sea bass was lost in all the competing flavors in its dog-dish heap. The tables were very snug, which made the din of customers a bit overwhelming.
Girl & the Goat has one of the biggest reputations among Chicago restaurants, but the real highlight of this place is its impeccable pacing and service. The courses are timed extremely well, though the specific dish sequence within a group might be a little bit askew, and that level of synchronization in a perpetually busy kitchen is really commendable. In a world of increasingly frequent auto-gratuities and service fees, Girl & the Goat rly deserves theirs The food is inconsistent - sometimes it’s great, and sometimes it’s underwhelming. Bold flavors seems to be the ethos of the menu, but often the seasoning is too heavyhanded and dishes come out clumsy and aggressive. The sticky pork shank is above reproach and the pig face is good, if slightly more one note. The green beans are a perennial favorite, with an ingenious use of fish sauce, but often oversalted. Breads and related goods tend to be a miss here, as the naan didn’t deliver the textural expectation (and was paired with meh dips) and the pastry of the goat empanadas was underwhelming, almost reminiscent of a frozen good. Skip dessert, as I’ve always been disappointed
Food is a delicious fusion style menu. The service was unbelievable. As a server myself I definitely should up my standards!! Never had to pour my own water. Food was delicious I recommend the mussels 10/10 (oysters are shown in the photo)